Rower honoured as name floated    

By sport@dailypost co nz, Gary Hamilton-Irvine                       9:00 AM Saturday Oct 19, 2013

PHOTO THANKS TO ANDREA HARPER

Rotorua rower Julia Edward has had a boat named after her at the Waikato Regional Rowing Performance Centre.The Olympian was one of three rowers from the Waikato and Bay of Plenty area who had a boat

named after them on Thursday."It was a bit of a surprise. I didn't really expect it, but I was very honoured," Edward said. The new training boats were unveiled on Thursday afternoon in Cambridge.

The performance centre has been donated 16 rowing boats, mainly single and double-seated boats, from the Grassroot Trust. The first lot of boats were donated last year and the centre now has the entire

fleet ready for use. Edward said it was a good afternoon on Thursday and she even poured some champagne on the new boat to celebrate."It was definitely a first [having something named after me]." Edward has finished her international season and will spend the summer training on Lake Karapiro near Cambridge. The donated boats will be used by a 27-strong group involved with the Waikato Regional Rowing Performance Centre.